Munshi Sahab

Die neuen Anträge auf Arbeitslosenleistungen in den USA sind in der vergangenen Woche zurückgegangen, was Analysten überraschte, obwohl Experten warnen, dass der Rückgang durch saisonale Besonderheiten beeinflusst sein könnte, die zu Beginn des Jahres häufig auftreten.
Laut dem Arbeitsministerium sind die Erstanträge auf Arbeitslosenhilfe um 9.000 auf saisonbereinigte 198.000 für die Woche bis zum 10. Januar gefallen. Ökonomen hatten eine höhere Zahl von etwa 215.000 prognostiziert.
Wenn saisonale Faktoren entfernt werden, sind die Anträge jedoch stark um mehr als 31.000 gestiegen, was zeigt, wie urlaubsbedingte Anpassungen frühe Jahresdaten verzerren können. Analysten weisen darauf hin, dass die Arbeitslosenanträge in der Regel im Januar ihren tiefsten Punkt erreichen, bevor sie in den folgenden Monaten steigen.

U.S. stocks edged lower on Friday as investors remained cautious amid uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s future direction, pushing Treasury yields to their highest level in four months.
The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 both slipped by less than 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 0.2%. Despite modest daily moves, all three major indexes finished the week with losses of under 1%. The market had briefly rebounded a day earlier, snapping a two-day slide after strong earnings from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and news of a new trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan.
In individual stocks, Micron Technology jumped nearly 8% after regulatory filings showed a company insider purchased close to $8 million worth of shares, boosting investor confidence in the chipmaker. On the other hand, power companies Constellation Energy and Vistra dropped sharply—down 10% and 8%, respectively—following reports that the Trump administration is considering changes to the nation’s largest electricity grid.
Bond markets were active as Treasury yields climbed after President Trump suggested he may look beyond close economic advisor Kevin Hassett when selecting the next Federal Reserve chair to succeed Jerome Powell in May. Analysts believe Hassett would likely support the aggressive rate cuts favored by the president, adding to speculation about the Fed’s independence.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 4.23%, its highest level since early September. Yields have swung throughout the week as investors weighed mixed inflation data and political pressure surrounding monetary policy.
Earnings from regional banks rounded out the first week of fourth-quarter reporting. PNC Financial shares gained 4% after the bank posted results that topped expectations, supported by strong advisory and dealmaking revenue. Meanwhile, Regions Financial fell 3% after delivering weaker earnings and outlook.
In commodities, oil prices moved higher, with U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rising 0.4% to $59.40 per barrel. Gold pulled back 0.6% to $4,595 an ounce after reaching record levels earlier in the week, while silver slid more than 3% following its recent surge.
Cryptocurrency markets were mixed, with Bitcoin trading around $95,400 late in the session, down from weekly highs above $97,500. The U.S. dollar index remained largely unchanged at 99.35.
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